RECTAL BALLOON FOR CT OF RECTAL-CANCER

The use of a balloon catheter to distend the rectum for pelvic CT in p atients with rectal cancer is described. The 20-cm long balloon, inser ted over a 12F catheter and inflated with 180-200 ml of water is simpl e to use, well tolerated by patients and allows high-quality CT scans. Preliminary results of the presurgical staging of rectal cancer by CT with rectal balloon in a series of 15 patients show a high accuracy w hen compared with the pathological findings: involvement of perirectal nodes and adjacent structures was correctly identified in all cases, while CT overestimated the invasion of perirectal fat in two cases, du e to the impossibility of distinguishing neoplastic from inflammatory tissue. The operability statement (site and dimensions of the tumour) allowed correct surgical planning in all cases.